by Christos Dodis, Konstantinos Kitis, Demetrios Panagiotakopoulos
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This paper is concerned with the organization and the operational viability of Solid Waste Management Authorities (SWMA). The frequently changing performance requirements, the continuous search for alternative technological, financial and institutional options, the unstable market of recyclables, the variations in waste characteristics, and the need for public-private partnerships are only some of the factors that shape and drastically affect the operating environment of a SWMA. Consequently, for any such Authority (be it a small
municipal department or a huge organization serving a megapolis), there is an emerging need for:
- adaptation to such variations
- organizational cohesion.
Both adaptability and cohesion are prerequisites for the organization’s effectiveness and viability (ability to maintain distinct existence in the long term).
…
Here, an attempt is made to express SWMA as VSM; a case study is presented for a medium size SWMA (city of Larissa, Greece). The objective is to develop a tool (a procedure)
enabling the personnel of a SWMA, either pubic or private, cast their organization as a VSM. A questionnaire was designed as a guide for a preliminary diagnosis of SWMA; full
diagnosis would certainly require, besides the questionnaire, personal interviews and on site investigations.
The response to the questionnaire allowed a VSM-based modelling of the Authority under study. Specific departments or functions of the Authority are correlated to VSM’s Systems
1 through 5. The employment of the VSM revealed the lack of distinct information channels within the SWMA, which may prove crucial for its viability. These deficiencies might not
have been exposed with the use of traditional organization charts, which normally focus solely on the power and command relationships within the authority.
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Tags: Case study, cybernetics, Environment, management, VSM, Waste management
NASA image of the day
The Twin Rectangular Jet model, installed on the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig in the Aeroacoustic Propulsion Laboratory at NASA's Glenn Research Center being tested.The Twin Rectangular Jet model, installed on the Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig in the Aeroacoustic Propulsion Laboratory at NASA's Glenn Research Center, is being tested to determine the acoustic impact of engine configurations on low sonic boom aircraft for the High Speed Project of the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. The High Speed Project is a multi-center effort to develop and test the technologies of a new generation of aircraft that can fly at supersonic speeds. Glenn's research involves predicting the airport noise of these novel aircraft by examining innovative airframes and propulsion integration that are different from the conventional tube-and-wing aircraft observed at commercial airports. Inside the aeroacoustic dome, this generic, low-fidelity aircraft engine exhaust model features twin rectangular nozzles. Researchers are investigating the impact of having the propulsive exhaust come from the slot nozzles atop the aircraft. Testing the proposed components of these high- speed aircraft will help manufacturers meet the noise standards required around the nation's airports. Image Credit: NASA/Bridget R. Caswell
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